Carlo Ancelotti has denied that Real Madrid are working on a plan to deal with Erling Haaland in Tuesday’s Champions League semifinal first leg, saying that focusing on one player would underestimate a “complete” Manchester City team.
Since both clubs met in last year’s semifinal — which Madrid won 6-5 on aggregate, including a dramatic 3-1 comeback at the Bernabeu — City have added Haaland, who has scored 51 goals this season, to their squad.
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Madrid prepared for the tie by winning the Copa del Rey final on Saturday, beating Osasuna 2-1 at the La Cartuja stadium in Seville with a brace from Rodrygo.
“Haaland is a very dangerous player,” Ancelotti said in his prematch news conference on Monday. “He’s an obvious danger. But only talking about Haaland means not talking about a complete team that plays well, that attacks, that has ideas.
“We aren’t planning how to play Haaland, but rather to play a team that looks unstoppable. I think we can have a chance to play an even, competitive game, and we can win.”
Ancelotti said he didn’t view the addition of Haaland as requiring a radical shift in City’s style.
